leavenworth wedding at the brown family homestead
Details
Date 06.12.21
Location Leavenworth, WA
VENDOR LIST
Photography Kami LaLonde
Venue Brown Family Homestead
Reception Venue Xxx
Hair & Makeup Pacific Brides
Florist Fire & Blooms
Catering Ravenous Catering
Dessert Whistlepunk
leavenworth wedding at the brown family homestead
Last summer, I had the honor of documenting Lauren & Tyler’s Pacific Northwest summer wedding at the Brown Family Homestead in Leavenworth and was suchhhh a special one for me. I’ve known Lauren since college and seeing her and Tyler’s relationship grow has been incredible, and this was also my first time traveling for a wedding since before covid!! It meant the world to me that my first work trip was for these two, and it felt so good to shoot somewhere new again - it had been soooooo long! This was one of those days where I didn’t peel myself off the dance floor until the last song and I felt like a guest way more than a vendor. I love these two and this gallery is so near and dear to my heart! STOKED to finally be sharing this is an understatement.
Q: What did you love about your wedding location?!
A: We truly couldn't have loved our wedding venue more! It had everything we ever dreamed of and more. We had mountains with just a bit of snow on the very tippy top. We had dreamy wildflowers popping up and beautiful trees. It absolutely took our breath away! Growing up in Plain, I got so used to my surroundings and took everything for granted. I feel SO lucky to have gotten married in a town that means so much to me.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from the day?
A:The entire day was magical, it's hard to pick a favorite memory from our day. But I don't think anything will ever beat that feeling of walking down the aisle and exchanging our vows. I was sick-to-my-stomach nervous all day leading up to it, but the entire ceremony was SO sweet, so personal, and just so us. And we'll never forget how well both our vows and our officiant's speech all went together.
And THEN, the reception! After a long engagement, and then the postponement due to the pandemic, we were so ready to be there with everyone. On top of the long wait, we hadn't seen many of our families in friends in so long that the reunion just made our hearts burst. We'll never forget looking around and just seeing a sea of grins. We've never felt so loved!
Q: Tell me a bit about planning a wedding during a pandemic (if you want!). How did it affect your plans, how did it change your plans, etc etc etc.
A: We definitely do not recommend planning a wedding during a pandemic. It is NOT for the faint of heart! It was an absolute nightmare, but in the end, it made that day just that much more special. Our original day was in July, and by May we decided to make the hard decision to postpone. We decided that the day just wasn't what we dreamt of. We had put so much time, money, energy, and love into planning our day that it was worth waiting another year! We were incredibly lucky with the freaking DREAM TEAM of wedding vendors who were all so kind to us in moving the wedding date. We didn't lose a single vendor, which I think was a total miracle.
Q: What advice would you give to future couples who are getting married? During a pandemic or in general?
A: This one is easy for me to answer! Stay calm. Enjoy every single moment -- even the ones where you may or may not be freaking out. Take special moments with each other and just truly soak in the love that you are feeling from each other and from everyone around you. The day is going to be pure magic regardless if things go to plan or not! Take it ALL in, it goes by so fast.
That and get yourself a dream team of vendors! Including a certain incredible photographer (cough, Kami, cough) who just elevates the day. Working with vendors you actually enjoy and respect makes such a big difference!
Q: How did you two stay positive / keep whats important in mind through all the planning craziness of 2020?
A: At times, it was VERY rough. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for over a year. We'd get our hopes up and then things would shift and we'd lose all hope. We had to constantly remind ourselves how much love we have for one another and focused on that. And we tried to make ourselves celebrate big wins that couldn't be taken away from us; when masks were mandated, we celebrated that our wedding guest list didn't have to be cut. And no matter what, we'd finally be married on June 12!
Q: Is there anything else you'd like people to know about your experience?!
A: Just a question for the universe... is there any possible way to turn back time and do it over and over?! Seriously. We need to know.
Q: Your wedding was sooooo beautiful - was there anything aesthetically / design-wise you were most excited about? What was your original vision and how did you bring it to life?
A: We were SO lucky! We have so many talented family and friends who helped execute everything and turn our dreams into reality. My little bride heart just bursts every time our guests complimented on how gorgeous everything was and how amazing all the little details were! I was a bride with big visions, not a ton of budget, but an incredible artistic sister and brother-in-law that helped put it ALL together. I think my favorite was the watercolored and gold-leafed placecards we did by hand. AND, the wooden cutout sign of our last night that hung up above us. Plus, our florist, Bergen (Fire and Blooms), did such an incredible job with our florals!
